Goblins Wear Suits Read online

  “He what?” Kadri said. For the first time since I have met her, there were traces of anger in her voice.

  “It’s because he loves you, Kadri. He would rather see you alive and unhurt than married to him and in danger.”

  “…That’s selfish,” Kadri said.

  “Yeah, I gotta admit I thought it was pretty bullheaded of him too. But there is no way I could change his mind. However, the guy totally loves you. If you asked him to marry you, there’s no way he could turn you down.”

  “Do you really think so?” Kadri asked, her voice small with the anger drained away.

  “Yeah, I do.”

  “Okay,” Kadri said. “Okay. Will you help me?”

  “Yes. I can help you figure out what to say and all that,” I said, picking up a pen and clicking it on and off.

  “Oh good—will you also go with me when I propose?”

  “Wha—um,” I said, almost snapping the pen in half. Actually helping with the moment of the proposal hadn’t really been in my plan. “Er.. are you sure you want me there at such an important moment in your lives?”

  “Of course! Why wouldn’t we? You are our mentor,” Kadri said, sounding bewildered.

  I totally should have seen that one coming. “Then, sure. If you think I can help,” I said somewhat lamely. (I mean come on, what was I supposed to say, no? Clearly you’ve never met a sad high elf if you think I could resist Kadri.)

  “Thank you, Morgan. Your support means the world to me,” Kadri said. The warmth in her voice brought a goofy grin to my lips. “Is there no other way I can aid you?”

  “No,” I sighed. “Not unless you know how I could get dwarves hired in the MBRC in a position that would give them some respect.”

  “I am sorry, but I do not. They have a respectable position in the community thanks to their skill with gems, mines, and craftsmanship. I know not how those skills could transfer to human society. It is a shame they are not trained in the repair of kitchen appliances,” Kadri said.

  I blinked. “What do you mean?”

  “Merely that if the dwarves could keep the coffee equipment in the cafeteria running, I’m quite sure even the MBRC board would give their eyeteeth to have them employed.”

  The thought hit me like a bolt of lightning. “Kadri, you’re a GENIUS!”

  “I’m actually of average intellect for a high elf—,”

  “No way. You are a class A genius. Thank you, thank you, thank you! I’ve got to go.”

  “I hope I helped. May I contact you—perhaps next weekend—after I think of how to propose?”

  “Absolutely. I’m so in your debt. Thank you, Kadri!”

  “Thank you, Morgan,” Kadri said.

  I ended the call and bolted out of my desk. I had to jump up and down to express my joy.

  My office door slammed open to reveal Harrison, who stared at me.

  “Krusher—oh my gosh, I think Kadri just solved the whole dwarf workforce thing!” I said, still jumping up and down. (Harrison had seen me in worse positions than acting like an idiot.)

  “It’s Harrison, Miss Fae.”

  “Yeah, you’re right. We totally need to celebrate! Let’s go get coffee!” I said, grabbing my ID card before swooping out of the office. “Coffee for everyone! Inform the other goblins if they want coffee they need to give you their orders, Krusher.”

  “It’s Harrison, Miss Fae.”

  “This is going to be AWESOME! In your face, Administrator Moonspell!”

  “Coffee machines, ye say?” Grogrintork ran a hand through his bushy beard as he considered the idea.

  It was Wednesday afternoon. After doing a bunch of research via Google all day Tuesday, I was even more convinced that the dwarves should get involved in the coffee business and called a meeting with Grogrintork to discuss the idea.

  I rolled a pen between my fingers. “It’s both a luxury and a necessity here,” I said, leaning back in my chair. “But the MBRC doesn’t have a single race that is able to repair them. Dwarves are already great at detail orientated work.”

  “Repairing espresso machines is a bit different from settin’ a gem or welding gold,” Grogrintork said.

  “If just a few of your men are trained, I’m certain they could train apprentices and get jobs in any number of rehabilitation centers,” I said. “It would take a little work, but I bet you could ask the MBRC board for a contract before dwarves even begin to learn the trade.”

  “Hmm,” Grogrintork said.

  I glanced at his walking-armor-closet friends. Two of them stood at attention. The third was making eyes at Baobab, who was doing her best to ignore it.

  “Well?” I prodded.

  Grogrintork kept stroking his beard.

  “You don’t like the idea,” I guessed.

  “It feels like such work is…”

  “Beneath you?” I guessed.

  Grogrintork shrugged his shoulders.

  “Such labor would be highly prized here, and will open up new lines of communication for your people,” I said.

  Grogrintork said nothing.

  Seeing that I wasn’t going to get anywhere with him today, I said, “Why don’t you think about it and discuss it with the other clans?”

  Grogrintork’s broad smile returned to his face. “That is a good idea. I will do it. Thank ye for yer time, Miss Fae.”

  “You’re welcome. If you have any questions about the work, feel free to call me,” I said, offering my hand to the dwarf representative as I stood up and leaned across my desk.

  Grogrintork shook my hand, squeezing my palm so hard I lost feeling in it for a few moments.

  “We’ll do that,” he said, almost to my office door before he realized his third guard was stationed in front of Baobab’s desk like a lovesick puppy.

  Grogrintork rolled his eyes before he grabbed his guard by the beard and dragged him outside. “Good evening to ye, Miss Fae,” Grogrintork said, closing the door behind him.

  I barely had enough time to sit down before the door was thrown open and Madeline stormed inside. “So you call Kadri on Monday but you do not bother to contact me, your closest friend in the MBRC?”

  I blinked. “Hi Madeline.”

  “Hi? That is all you can say? Hi? I was worried sick about you!” Madeline said.

  “Sorry, I thought you would drop by my office if you wanted to talk.”

  “Contacting you in any way was banned by the MBRC until today. And even if I chose to ignore the ban, you had goblins camped out in front of your office. There are some barriers even I will not push though.”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t know the ban was still in place,” I said.

  “I had to rely on Kadri for information on your well being. Do you know how embarrassing that was?”

  “I’m sure Devin could have gotten you through.”

  “The Pooka and I are not speaking,” Madeline darkly said.

  Madeline and Devin had a confusing relationship. It seemed that they were friends—or perhaps frenimies—for a long time. However, I wouldn’t put it past them to erupt into fist fights when I’m not around.

  “Well?” Madeline said in the silence.

  “What?”

  “Aren’t you sorry for what you’ve put me through?”

  I rolled my eyes. “Yes, Madeline. I am deeply sorry for any worry or anxiety I might have caused you,” I said.

  Madeline stared at me before she erupted into tears.

  Crap. That hadn’t happened before.

  “Miss Fae…?” Baobab said, half rising from her desk.

  “Yeah, I’ll take care of it,” I said, lunging out of my seat. I hurried around my desk to hug Madeline. The petite vampire cried on my shoulder, making my shirt a snotty mess.

  Baobab bowed out of the office as Madeline sobbed.

  She was still gone when Madeline’s tears slowed to the occasional hiccup.

  “So, you wanna tell me what’s going on?” I asked, offering Madeline a box of tissues.
/>   Madeline daintily dabbed at her eyes before honking her nose. “I was just frightened. Fidem is ruthless. Before he was cursed, Krad Temero was a fiend. If he managed to catch you..” Madeline shivered. “How bad was the attack?”

  “Bad,” I said, my voice taut.

  “Worse than the previous one?”

  “Much,” I said. “I nearly took him out with my baby skillet though.”

  Madeline brightened. “It helped?”

  “For sure.”

  “Good,” Madeline hummed. The smile fell from her face. “If you meet again, it’s going to be even worse,” she said.

  “I guessed as much. After the museum fiasco I still hadn’t quite chained his magic and his person together as a package deal.”

  “And you did this time?”

  “Yeah.”

  “That’s unfortunate,” Madeline said. “Next time you see him and your fear starts to build, it will make him that much more powerful.”

  “I’m well guarded. There shouldn’t be a next time.”

  “There will be.”

  I gaped at Madeline. “What?”

  “If you were attacked once, he was likely delivering a warning to the MBRC. But twice?” Madeline shook her head. “You are his target. He’s coming for you.”

  “Thanks,” I wryly said, my heart pounding in my throat. “Your encouragement is so uplifting.”

  “I’m not saying it to frighten you, Morgan. I want you to be prepared.”

  “So I can fight back?”

  “Exactly,” Madeline said.

  I pinched my eyes shut for a moment and rubbed my forehead.

  “What are you thinking?”

  “That I should leave the MBRC when my current contract is up.”

  “What? Why? I mean—I know you and Administrator Moonspell are squabbling.”

  “This isn’t worth it,” I said. “I love my job and I love you guys, but getting stalked? Being terrified like that, again?” I said, my voice trembling.

  “I’m sorry,” Madeline said, slinging an arm around my shoulders.

  “It’s not your fault.”

  “But I’m still sorry.”

  “Yeah,” I sighed. “Me too.”

  11

  Meeting Ethan

  “Okay, so Ethan is gonna pick us up,” Fran said, zipping up her jacket.

  “And then?” I asked, shouldering my backpack. “I didn’t get off work so he could make us prance around outside and freeze our butts off.”

  Fran rolled her eyes. “We’re going to Simply Sweetness.”

  “The coffee place?”

  “Yes.”

  “That’s acceptable,” I grumbled.

  “I hope you like him—I know you’ll like him!” Fran, smiling widely as she clapped her gloved hands together.

  “If he stops taking you on stupid dates I’m sure I’d like him a lot more,” I dryly said.

  “But it’s so cute! He’s new to the dating scene,” Fran said.

  “He’s a senior in high school, and he’s new to dating?” I asked, arching an eyebrow. “What, is he a shut in?”

  “As if you could talk,” Fran said.

  “Hey! We did establish that I go on dates!”

  “Yeah, yeah,” Fran said, leading the way to the front doors of our school. “Let’s wait outside.”

  “Are you just as crazy as him? It’s snowing,” I said.

  “Yeah, but he should be here any minute,” Fran said, pointing to a clock posted on the wall.

  “No way. He’s driving from his high school. Classes let out fifteen minutes ago. He can’t get over here that fast.”

  “Yes he can. His school releases earlier than ours.”

  “That’s weird,” I said.

  “It’s convenient. For me anyway,” Fran said.

  I followed Fran outside, into the blustery wind. I pulled up the hood of my jacket as Fran looked around the entrance.

  “There he is,” Fran said, pointing to a black Honda idling alongside the road.

  Fran and I ran to the car, getting salt from the seriously well cleaned school sidewalks all over our shoes and the cuffs of our jeans.

  Fran climbed into the front seat and I threw myself into the back, slamming the door shut behind me to bask in the warmth of the car.

  “Ethan, this is my absolute best friend in the whole wide world, Morgan Fae. Morgan, this is Ethan,” Fran said over the roar of the heat.

  “Nice to meet you,” I said.

  Ethan struggled momentarily with his seat belt so he could turn to look at me. “It’s nice to meet you too, Morgan,” he said. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”

  Ethan was cute. Not on the level of Devin or Aysel, but he was easily as cute as Frey. His hair was bleach blonde, and he had dark brown eyes. His smile was nice, and he looked like he was an average build.

  I looked him over with an extra judgmental eye, being that Fran is my best friend. I found him lacking…but I couldn’t put my finger on the how or why.

  “Fran says you have this really time-consuming but impressive part-time job,” Ethan said, easing his car into the main road.

  “It’s not that amazing,” I said. “I just work with a doctor on research.”

  “In Chicago, right?” Ethan asked.

  “Yes,” I said.

  “Morgan is a workaholic,” Fran said.

  “And you aren’t little Miss ‘I’ve been in student council every year of my high school career,’” I joked. “Which reminds me, I never asked. Did Hunter take that photo of the student council?”

  “Yep, it turned out great,” Fran said. “It’s a shame he refused to be on the yearbook staff again this year.”

  “Hunter?” Ethan asked.

  “A classmate of ours,” Fran said. “Actually, I would say he’s a pretty good friend of Morgan’s.”

  “Yeah,” I agreed, turning around to look out the back windshield. I could see the dark car with tinted windows that followed a block or two behind us. Good, the goblins were still with me.

  “I see,” Ethan said. “So, how was your day?”

  Fran filled the rest of the short drive to Simply Sweetness with lighthearted chatter. She relayed an amusing story about student council and talked about her teachers.

  I was impressed with the way Ethan listened intently. He seemed to recognize by name a lot of the people she mentioned. He was very mindful. But something still bothered me.

  We got a great parking spot near Simply Sweetness and piled inside. The place is decorated in a Victorian type style. There are flowers on the wallpaper, the floor is wood, and it’s very homey. (Madeline would love to come here.)

  I ordered a vanilla latte, while Fran and Ethan got some cutesy couple’s Valentine drink.

  “Where should we sit?” I asked when we got our drinks

  “Upstairs?” Ethan suggested.

  “Sure. That way we won’t disturb anyone,” Fran said, glancing at a few college students who were taking advantage of the free Wi Fi.

  The upstairs of Simply Sweet was decorated with creaky wooden floors, thick velvet drapes, and framed silhouettes and landscape paintings. We picked a spot that was right under a heat vent, but was also situated next to the front window so we could look out at Oakdale’s Main Street.

  It was really pretty since the snow was fresh and white and piled everywhere. People were out in large numbers, shoveling and salting sidewalks, shopping, and darting into warm restaurants, bars, and coffee houses for a reprieve from the weather.

  Fran took her jacket, gloves, and scarf off, but I stayed bundled up in mine. I wanted to roast a little to warm up first.

  Ethan also left his winter gear on, but he removed his scarf and tossed it on top of Fran’s. “You two are taking culinary arts together, right?”

  “Yes, although Morgan keeps calling it cooking class,” Fran said, wrinkling her nose at me.

  “That’s what it is,” I said. “Besides, Dave—Mr. Smith I mean—is not sophisticated enough
to warrant calling the class an art.”

  “Don’t tell him that,” Fran said. “He acts like cooking is his sole passion in life—although he’s got some serious hatred for tomatoes.”

  “So you’ve noticed that too?” I asked. I would have to tell Dave. Not that most people would assume he’s a vampire because he hates tomato juice—which he has to drink to repress his thirst for blood.

  “How could you miss it? He turns green whenever he mentions them,” Fran said, taking a sip from the stinking huge mug—seriously, it was the size of a cereal bowl.

  Ethan took the mug when Fran was finished and also drank from it. “It sounds amusing. Better, at least, than my classes,” he said before offering me a smile.

  And that’s when I realized what was wrong. Although Ethan was mild tempered and smiled almost as much as Fran, the expression never reached his eyes. His brown eyes, in fact, were cold and deep. It was like he wore the smile, but wasn’t feeling the emotion at all.

  “I don’t know. I can’t say I really wanted to learn about cooking,” I said, my eyes scanning the room. I didn’t see Harrison, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t within hearing range.

  “So, Morgan. Have you decided what to do with your life after you graduate?” Ethan asked.

  “No. I want to go to college, but I don’t know where,” I said.

  “Ahh, so you’re like Fran, then,” Ethan said, his lips again forming the shape of a smile as he looked at Fran.

  I blinked. “What?”

  Fran avoided my eyes.

  “You haven’t told him?” I asked.

  “Told me what?” Ethan asked.

  “About—,” I cut myself off when Fran kicked me under the table. “Nothing,” I said.

  Apparently she hadn’t told him she had decided on a school in Florida.

  I glanced outside when Ethan looked back and forth between Fran and me, and Fran was forced to give an explanation.

  “She was just talking about a school thing. I’m hoping to get scholarships,” Fran said with a manufactured laugh.

  “I already knew about that,” Ethan said.